It's Amazing

Today we enjoyed a rare Colorado snow-day when school was actually cancelled nearly city-wide.  I will say that it helped me catch-up with post vacation tasks and lazing around in our jammies most of the day was delightful.  Unfortunately, the odd day and off-time eating due to Ben's sleeping in, had me off all day and I missed giving Ben his last afternoon snack.  Usually when he's hungry he asks for certain things, but in the last couple hours of the afternoon, he didn't, and a pre-dinner breakdown ensued.  He needed to eat NOW! and the tears started streaming as I hurriedly made his dinner.  The things he laments during "breakdowns" that have little connection to the current day or time always make me giggle but today's was so silly I had to write it down.  He drug himself upstairs to the kitchen, blubbering on about the world ending or something equally tragic, and opened the cabinet door to the trash can (why?)
He stared at the trash and said through his tears,
"It's just amazing.....how I am mad AND sad!"  
he closed the door and walked through the living room exclaiming, "what am I gonna do?"

Now I do not delight in my child's distress but the 180 degree turn coupled with the DRAMA are just too much to take without giggling.  I think it was maybe the second time ever that I've heard him use the word "amazing" and he did it with his hand on his hip and such adult-like determination. 

Half way through dinner the occasional crocodile tear was still falling, but soon Ben was Ben once again and all was right with the world.  We talk a lot lately about being mad and sad and how to handle it as "not wanting to be sad anymore," can create a bit of a vicious cycle when you're four, and prolong the distress.

I absolutely owned this one and you can bet I won't be missing a snack anytime soon!